About Progent
Les Kent's Technical and Business Background
Les Kent: Progent's Founder and President
Les Kent has a 35-year track record of successful technology integration, business management, marketing, and operations. During this time he has demonstrated a talent for developing complex computer and network based technical solutions while working as a system architect, software developer, project manager, implementation expert and troubleshooter.
Mr. Kent became convinced that it was possible to provide enterprise-class IT services to small businesses that are severely underserved by conventional support delivery options. Most small companies have few if any full-time support personnel, yet network availability, security and performance is as vital for their business success as it is for large enterprises. Giant support firms ignore prospects unable to commit to expensive, long-term service contracts, while freelance consultants can't respond consistently to emergencies or stay up to date on the increasingly complex integration and security requirements of modern networks. Mr. Kent's idea was to use proactive network monitoring along with secure VPN connections for remote management and troubleshooting, and to assemble a team of support experts who could resolve most problems quickly and escalate others to certified specialists. The result was Progent.
A proven entrepreneur, Mr. Kent has founded two businesses that were subsequently acquired by public companies. Mr. Kent's reputation as an expert in Microsoft technology was established by overseeing and actively participating in the installation, deployment and support of Microsoft Windows and Microsoft Exchange Server, along with associated communications infrastructures, for over 500 companies in the .
Prior to starting Progent, Mr. Kent was most recently the President of Allin Corporation of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Allin is a nationwide, publicly-traded consulting services and technology integration company with over 150 employees and offices in four states.
Mr. Kent's accomplishments include:
- While leading Allin, Mr. Kent oversaw the transformation of the company from an unprofitable and unfocused interactive technologies company into an IT services and network integration firm specializing in Microsoft and Cisco technology.
- Mr. Kent has been a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer since 1994 and has been a software engineer since 1975.
- As a technical editor of InfoWorld magazine (http://www.infoworld.com/) and a member of the magazine's Review Board from 1991 to 1995, Mr. Kent published 34 reviews and technology articles.
- Mr. Kent's interactive television system based on Microsoft Windows and SQL Server technology has been deployed by the world's leading cruise lines including Carnival, Celebrity, Royal Caribbean, Cunard and Norwegian.
- Mr. Kent developed the interactive television systems used in hundreds of hotels worldwide, including the Las Vegas MGM Grand, the world's largest hotel.
- Mr. Kent was the technical architect for the application that won Microsoft's "Best Application of the Year Award" in 1996.
- In 1988 Mr. Kent designed and developed a real-time multi-tasking operating system deployed worldwide by Siemens AG, Germany, for industrial control systems.
- Progent Corporation, San Jose, CA, Founder and President, 1999-present
- Allin Corporation, Pittsburgh, PA, President 1996-1999
- Kent Consulting Group, Oakland, CA, Co-founder and President 1994-1996 (Acquired by Allin Corporation, Pittsburgh, PA)
- Vision Network Systems, Oakland, CA, Co-founder and President 1983-1994
- Gifford Computer Systems, San Leandro, CA, Co-founder and Vice-president Research and Development, 1981-1983 (Acquired by Zitel Corp, San Jose, CA)
- Morrow Designs, El Cerrito, CA, Software Development Engineer 1980-1981
- Northstar Computers, Berkeley, CA, Technical Support Engineer, 1979-1980
An index of content::
Top Quality Consultant Services VMware
Consulting Services VMware GSX Server
Progent offers the assistance of a certified VMware VCDX expert to help you plan, deploy, manage and troubleshoot VMware vSphere and vCloud-based virtualization ecosystem for local datacenters, cloud environments, or hybrid cloud systems. Progent can provide advanced expertise for installing and configuring VMware Site Recovery Manager (SRM) and VMware's NSX network virtualization platform for disaster recovery and business continuity. Progent has extensive experience of VMware vCloud Director (vCD), VMware vRealize Automation (vRA), vRealize Orchestrator and vCloud used for administering private and public cloud and hybrid cloud solutions that provide maximum availability, data security, and disaster recovery.
Consultant Microsoft Windows 10 Assessment and Deployment Kit
24x7x365 Windows 10 Compatibility Testing Consulting Service
Progent's Windows consulting experts can help businesses of any size to assess Windows 10 or to upgrade to Windows 10 from any earlier version of Windows. Online and onsite assessment and upgrade services for Windows 10 provided by Progent's experts include ROI estimates, project coordination, application compatibility testing, pilot systems, virtualization architecture, Cloud integration, mobile device management, teleworker access, data and identity security, automated provisioning and administration, network design, Wi-Fi support, business continuity planning, webinar training for network management personnel and end users, and ongoing consulting support.
Consult Zero Downtime Data Center
CISA Certified Security Expert Non-stop Data Centers Setup and Support
Progent's Data Center professionals can help you identify fault-tolerant data centers that match the specific needs of your business. Fault tolerant collocation sites are particularly attractive to small companies due to of their low cost and convenience compared to pursuing a do-it-yourself approach. Trying to build an in-house data center that offers even a minimum degree of fault tolerance is financially prohibitive for the majority of small organizations. Progent can show you how to get all the advantages of non-stop data centers and 24x7 colo sites by offering a full array of engineering and support services.
Ransomware Protection Professionals
Network Management Outsourcing Professionals
Progent's ProSight family of managed services are geared to provide businesses who maintain minimal in-house network support staffs with affordable access to world-class management platforms and technical expertise. Benefits of the ProSight line of managed IT services include flat-rate network maintenance expenses, smart automation of common management tasks, continual adoption of new technology, graceful migration from legacy systems to modern solutions, improved fit between computer technology with strategic goals, access to seasoned IT consultants, and allowing management to focus on business issues instead of ever-changing computer technology.
Microsoft SMS Server Support
Urgent SMS 2003 Upgrade Consultants
Progent’s certified consultants offer small and mid-size companies enterprise-class consulting services for SMS Server and System Center Configuration Manager 2007, Microsoft's solutions for update and deployment automation. System Center Configuration Manager is the new name for the change management platform formerly called Systems Management Server. System Center Configuration Manager provides a range of new features to Microsoft Systems Management Server 2003 such as comprehensive automation, integrated Windows Vista Windows Server 2008 support, quarantine support, and boot image management. Progent’s certified engineers can help you use Systems Management Server or Configuration Manager 2007 economically for streamlined OS and application installation, security patch administration, application tracking, and software license reconciliation. Progent's engineers can also assist your company to move smoothly from SMS Server 2003 to Configuration Manager.
Best Consulting Branch Offices
Network Consulting Branch Location
Years of background providing Microsoft expertise and Cisco network consulting has enabled Progent to build an unmatched ability for serving branch offices that require network service with the responsiveness associated with with small firms but which offers professional client interaction, complete documentation, and compliance with enterprise IT standards. If your enterprise has a sales office situated anywhere in or any area covered by Progent's engineers, Progent can offer a wide array of onsite and off-site network consulting services and system design expertise.
Technical Support OS X VPN
Mac Disaster Recovery Support
Progent's CISM-certified security staff can help you secure your Apple Mac network through professional services including performing security audits, clean up after virus and denial of service attacks, setting up firewalls, integrating safe remote and mobile access, deploying monitoring programs for protection against viruses, spam, and directory harvest attacks, and creating a company-wide security plan adapted for the specific objectives of your business information system.
64-bit Processing Professionals
Cisco Consult 64-bit Migration
Progent’s Microsoft-premier engineers can assist your organization to update your workstations from 32 bits to 64 bits. Progent can assist you to calculate the costs and advantages of migrating to 64-bit PC desktop computing, design an affordable upgrade strategy that reduces business disruptions, and deliver economical, professional online help to assist your company to install 64-bit PC desktop software and application software on your current computers.
Polycom OTX Telepresence Consultant Services
LifeSize Telepresence Engineers
Progent offers access to a senior consultant with extensive hands-on experience configuring, maintaining, and enhancing immersive telepresence platforms from top-tier vendors including Cisco/TANDBERG, Polycom, LifeSize, and Radvision. Progent can coordinate with your internal network support team, your Internet Service Provider, and your telepresence technology vendor to help your organization increase the business value of your telepresence solution.
Remote Employees Cloud Integration Support Outsourcing
Offsite Workforce Cloud Integration IT Consultants
Progent can help small and mid-size organizations to provide their at-home employees with efficient integration with public cloud applications and services.
Cybersecurity Tech Services Juniper SSG Series Router
Juniper SSG20 Router Evaluation
Progent's Juniper-certified consultants can help your business plan the deployment of Juniper SSG integrated firewall/VPN products, configure security policies to match your operational requirements, set up network OS software to streamline management processes, migrate from legacy Juniper products, and troubleshoot infrastructure issues.
Threat Management Gateway Consultant Services
Award Winning Technology Consulting Services Threat Management Gateway 2010
Forefront TMG 2010 builds on the powerful security technologies of Microsoft ISA Server and provides a easily managed Internet gateway that acts as a one-server solution for a variety of security features including an application layer and network layer firewall, URL monitoring and filtering, malware inspection, IPS, application proxy, VPN control, and HTTP and HTTPS inspection. Microsoft Forefront Threat Management Gateway 2010 includes comprehensive web security reporting features, allows customized reports generated by SQL Server, integrates with Active Directory to streamline authentication, and can be deployed as a virtual server to cut expenses and improve availability. Progent's Microsoft-certified consultants can help your company to plan and execute pilot and production implementations; interface Forefront Threat Management Gateway 2010 with Windows 2008, AD, SQL Server, Microsoft Exchange Server 2010, and SharePoint; set up Forefront Threat Management Gateway to run on a virtual machine with Microsoft Windows Hyper-V; and provide continuing support and troubleshooting. Progent can also assist you to upgrade economically to Microsoft Forefront Threat Management Gateway from ISA Server 2006 or ISA Server 2004.
Jabber Voicemail IT Consultants
Jabber and SIP trunk Remote Technical Support
Progent's Jabber consultants offer remote or on-premises expertise to assist businesses of all sizes to design, implement, manage, upgrade or troubleshoot Cisco Jabber environments and Cisco Unified Communications Manager infrastructure. Progent offers advanced support for the products, technologies and services that make up building an end-to-end Jabber collaboration solution such as Cisco network devices and management tools, Microsoft Office 365 apps, Windows and Mac desktops, Apple iOS and Google Android smartphones, SIP trunking, Wi-Fi systems, security and compliance, cloud integration, telepresence systems, PBX systems, business continuity, and other components of a cohesive collaboration solution.
Engineers Citrix for Hyper-V
Citrix Lab Manager Technology Professional
Progent's Citrix-certified consultants can assist you to assess the potential business benefits of the various editions of Essentials for Hyper-V, assist you to integrate Citrix administration tools in your Hyper-V network, and show you how to use Citrix Essentials for Hyper-V to improve the performance, uptime, flexibility, and recoverability of your virtualized network while lowering the cost of equipment and support and streamlining administrative tasks.
At Home Employees Security Remote Support
Remote Workers Cybersecurity Online Troubleshooting
Progent can assist small and medium-size businesses to implement network security protection solutions and deliver mitigation expertise required for remote workers.
Remote Network Monitoring Engineer
ProSight Remote Network Monitoring Consulting Services
Progent's ProSight Network Audits offer a fast and low-cost way for small and medium-size businesses to obtain an objective assessment of the health of their IT system. Based on some of the leading remote monitoring and management (RMM) platforms available, and overseen by Progent's certified group of information technology professionals, ProSight Network Audits help you see how closely the deployment of your essential infrastructure devices adhere to industry best practices. Both the Basic and Advanced versions of ProSight Network Audit services are offered at a low, one-time cost and deliver immediate benefits like a cleaner and safer AD implementation. Both versions also offer the ongoing benefits of advanced remote network monitoring and management (RMM) technology. These benefits can include easier management, better compliance with government and industry security regulations, more efficient utilization of IT resources, quicker problem resolution, more dependable backup and restore, and less downtime.
Office Move Consultant
Sarbane Oxley Compliance Engineer
For large organizations, Progent can supplement internal network support groups by offering extensive background in supporting key Microsoft and Cisco technologies. Progent's certified experts can provide Enterprise Active Directory help, Exchange Server 2010 integration, SharePoint expertise, and Microsoft SQL Server consulting. For the national or global businesses with branches, Progent can act as a transparent nearby extension of enterprise network management. Progent’s enterprise consulting services include company-wide security, online branch office support, system design, Sarbanes Oxley conformance, project planning, and world-class service for multiple location network environments based on Enterprise Windows 2000. Progent can offer on-site consultants and technicians to assist with a site relocation or branch move, or a system architect to assist with building or utilizing an Internet Data Center or co-location site.
Security Inventory Professionals
Consultant Information Risk Assessment
Progent offers small businesses two low-cost security evaluation packages that include, for a set fee, remotely administered inventory scans of your network security profile which are evaluated by certified security specialists who assess the data collected by the remote scan, present unbiased evaluations of your current network security, and make recommendations for remediation. Progent offers two non-overlapping security evaluation scanning packages for external and internal security testing that are priced to meet the restricted budgets of small businesses while offering enterprise-class evaluations of your network's exposure to assault.
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